Haryana fixes sugarcane price at Rs 138 per quintal

Chandigarh, Nov 20 (UNI) The Haryana government today announced the sugarcane price of Rs 138, Rs 128 and Rs 126 per quintal for early, mid and late varieties respectively for the crushing season 2007-08.

This is the highest sugarcane price being given to the farmers in the country, Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said.

All the sugar mills of the state would make the payment of sugarcane accordingly, he added.

Agriculture Minister Harmohinder Singh Chatha said the Uttar Pradesh government had announced sugarcane price of Rs 130 per quintal for the early variety and Rs 125 for the late variety which was lower than Haryana.

He said the decision to pay the highest price to the sugarcane growers had once again reflected the pro-farmer approach of the state government under the dynamic leadership of Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

He said all the sugar mills had been directed to start their crushing operations immediately so that farmers could be facilitated to take next crop of wheat in time after getting the sugarcane fields vacated.

He said a total quantity of 669.47 lakh quintal of sugarcane was crushed by different sugar mills of the state during the last crushing season 2006-07, whereas a target of 700 lakh quintal of sugarcane had been fixed during the current season.

UNI